Mental disorders include a wide range of conditions that can affect one’s mood, thoughts, and behavior. Mental disorders range in severity. Some conditions are temporary while others are unshakably chronic. Some of the most common mental disorders include bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, attention deficit disorder (ADD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD.) Moreover, the number of people disabled by mental disorders—to the extent that they qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)—has increased approximately two and a half times between 1987 and 2007—from 1 in 184 Americans to 1 in 76. For children, the rise is even more alarming; one in five teenagers have, or will have, a severe mental disorder that will impact their everyday
